Brass knobs and Berliners

“Rumour has it this footbridge featured in ‘A Clockwork Orange'” saysFelicia Strehmel of Lilly’s Lightbox Company. The passionate amateur photographer, London-based East Berliner and upcycler extraordinaire, turns drawers restored from chests into photographic installations that look arresting in any home. I say that because my home has one, the one above, a photograph of a startling footbridge across the express-way in Glasgow. It is in my double height hallway and forces everyone to look up as they come through the door. Photographs inspired by her roots and her travels are turned into light-boxes that evoke memories. Her German grandfather’s radio, vintage adverts, a mixing desk, even the mailbox at Bush House has been documented by Strehmel and turned into a piece of art.

This September we see her turn her hand to Berlin Mid-century as we invite the German designer to christen the launch of our brand new blog Destination Modernism with a feature about her hometown and some fabulous Berliner lightboxes. See them unveiled at our Midcentury Modern Pop Up at designjunction in central London, UK. Available to buy between the 18th and 22nd September from Midcentury Modern, Ground Floor, The Old Sorting Office, New Oxford St.

A passionate photographer, Felica’s work amalgamates old crafts such as decoupage and furniture restoration with modern image manipulation. The results are lightboxes with a vintage charm which create a subtle and atmospheric light which adds three dimensional depth to the image on the perspex slide. Thoughts appear to float in glass, giving them a depth and colour saturation that draws its viewer in. While some drawers are restored to their original beauty, others are left with historic marks or changed entirely to give them a new lease of life. Large light boxes are made from the cross-section of an entire chest of drawers and can be up to 120cm x 120cm in size. Vintage fabric cable further complements the overall appearance of each Lightbox and a note featured in a fitting antique brass frame tells a story of its journey.Each Lightbox is an illuminated poetic composition, at times reminiscent of periods past, at times playful and dreamy.

All traditional electrical fittings are produced by small British companies and are fitted, tested and CE certified to be used with energy efficient CFL light bulbs up to 20W. The image slides are installed in such a way that they can be easily slid up and down to exchange the bulb. Brass mirror plates are fitted to the back of each light-box so that they can be hung safely.